Violet Table with Pitcher – 10″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $580

Violet Table with Pitcher continues my recent exploration of using a dark background within still life. I originally wasn’t sure I would enjoy working this way, but it has become an unexpectedly engaging process. The darker field gathers the light more closely around the objects, allowing it to settle with a quiet focus rather than spreading across the whole surface.

The composition grew from a few familiar studio finds. The small pitcher—really a creamer—came from a local antique shop where I get to travel back in time for a moment or two as I browse for treasures. And a vintage wool scarf from the same shop, provided the plaid structure beneath it. Like a warm familiar blanket, I was drawn to the rhythm of the woven patterns and how they could hold the forms together. A note of chartreuse along the edge introduces a contemporary spark, a color that continually surprises me in the way it brings other hues into balance within the square format.

I’d love to hear your thoughts so please reach out if this piece stirs something for you.

Categories: Interiors, New Paintings, Original oil paintings, Still LifeTags: ceramic pitcher, chartreuse accent, colorful still life painting, contemporary still life painting, kitchen still life painting, modern still life art, oil painting on canvas, oil paintings, Original Painting, patterned still life, plaid textile, small square painting, square format painting, still life painting, table top setting, vintage creamer, woven scarf